Mar 27, 2023; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard (0) watches players warm up prior to the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
NBA: New Orleans Pelicans at Portland Trail Blazers
(New York, NY) — Miami and Brooklyn, start your engines.
In a recent interview on “The Last Stand” with Brian Custer, Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard said that in a hypothetical trade scenario, Miami or Brooklyn would be his preferred destinations.
Dame cited his relationship with Heat center Bam Adebayo as well as his relationship with Nets rising star Mikal Bridges. He also added both organizations have capable rosters that he would mesh with.
“Miami obviously,” Lillard said. “Miami is the obvious one. Bam [Adebayo] is my dog. Bam is my dog for real. But I mean I think Miami is the obvious one. Brooklyn is another obvious one because Mikal Bridges is my dog too. I mean, both have capable rosters.”
Damian Lillard has long been a premier NBA guard but has toiled on terrible Blazers teams, with many fans pleading online for him to leave.
“I want to have an opportunity to win in Portland…We got an opportunity, asset-wise, to build a team that can compete,” Lillard said. “If we can’t do that, then, you know, obviously, like I’ve said, you know, for months now, like then this is a separate conversation that we would have to have.”
With him talking so openly about a trade, perhaps Dame has one foot out the door, but whether Miami (who is in the Finals ) or Brooklyn (who finally has some semblance of a coherent roster) would want to make a trade for him is an open question.
